YARDWORK

About Yardwork

By Karl Karter

After years honing my craft as a goldsmith and building successful jewellery businesses, the pandemic forced a pause — and with it, a deep re-evaluation of what I truly wanted from my work and life. Like many, lockdown became a period of reflection. Scaling up in the jewellery world had gradually shifted my time away from the bench and into management. I realised I missed making. I missed the hands-on, tactile, creative exploration that got me into craft in the first place.

I've always been driven by creativity — not just in jewellery, but across all forms of making. Rather than specialise further, I decided to step outside of my comfort zone and dive into disciplines I had no formal training in. I wanted to see where craftsmanship, curiosity, and collaboration could take me.

That decision sparked the birth of Yardwork — a personal project rooted in men’s jewellery, accessories, and garments, crafted with intention and integrity. Yardwork is a space to explore raw materials, traditional techniques, and considered design without the pressures of mass production or business scaling.

Along the way, I've been fortunate to study tailoring and denim construction under Mohsin Sajid and Bilgahan "Han" Ateş at Blackhorse Lane Atelier; leatherwork with Kingsley Walters; and stone carving with Zoe Wilson. Each of these mentors helped shape Yardwork's philosophy: learn deeply, create thoughtfully, and respect the process.

Yardwork isn't just a brand — it’s a return to making for the joy of it. It’s about reconnecting with craft, challenging myself creatively, and building objects that are made to last.